"Xu Errui, Tian Gui, you have illegally destroyed the grain and should be punished."
Considering your actions were justified and this is your first offense, I will punish you by requiring you to sell the grain and imposing a fine of five hundred coins, as a sign of justice! From now on, you are forbidden from selling grain in the market!
After Zhang Zheng finished speaking, he slammed his gavel and announced the adjournment of the court. Wu Hongmao and the other yamen runners also dispersed the crowd and left.
The event came and went in a spectacular fashion, leaving Xu Errui, Tian Gui, and the others bewildered: "Is that all?"
"What does this mean? Are we selling or not?"
Xiaoman muttered, "A fine of five hundred coins? That really hurts!"
Although Xu Errui and the others were certain that they wouldn't suffer too much, they were still quite frightened by the scene.
Another thing that puzzled them was Magistrate Zhang's statement that green grains were not allowed to be sold.
Upon seeing the onlookers leave, he became eager to know the answer.
Wu Hongmao came over and patted Errui and Xiaoman on the shoulder, laughing, "Don't worry, it's just something said in court, there won't be any real punishment. Magistrate Zhang has opened a way for you."
"Open up a path? Can it be sold?"
Eating green grains was always done secretly, and buying and selling them had to be done discreetly.
Xiang Dejin also came in from outside: "Xiaoman, you should push the cart to the back alley now, there are people waiting to buy it."
"Brother Xiang, is it... someone waiting to buy it?" Xu Errui was still somewhat surprised.
I'm still in the county government office, how come someone wants to buy it?
Xiang Dejin nodded and started pushing the cart: "With such a big fuss, those who are craving food already know, and they're waiting to buy some to try."
You ran such a long distance and still got punished. Remember, each baton should be sold for at least thirty coins.
Ah! Thirty coins for a corncob!
Tian Gui and the others all swallowed hard.
In the past, when taxes were paid and grain was sold, a bushel of 12 catties would sell for less than 40 coins, but now a single bushel costs 30 coins.
Will I really not get beaten up if I just ask for such a price?
As Xiang Dejin walked out, he said, "The reason we eat these green grains is because they are rare and novel."
No matter how cheap you sell it, poor people won't be willing to spend a few coins to buy it, and rich people don't care about how much money they have.
They care about the more expensive the better; they can buy a few, eat them, and then show them off.
Having spent half a year in the city, Xiang Dejin already knew what these wealthy people cared about.
Money doesn't matter, what I want is to be different and feel superior.
He then taught Errui and Xiaoman how to talk about selling goods, so they wouldn't be cheated out of the price.
These two still don't know the right price, but since they've told their elder brother to do it, they'll do it.
When the car arrived at the back alley of the county government office, there were indeed several women who looked like housekeepers waiting there.
Just as Xiang Dejin was about to leave, Xu Errui quickly called out to him, "Brother Xiang, take some corn with you. Also, I can't conveniently deliver any more to Magistrate Zhang, so please do it for me."
As he spoke, he took a small bamboo basket from the wheelbarrow, picked out a dozen or so sticks, filled it, and stuffed it over.
Xiang Dejin laughed and took the basket: "Okay! I'll take it."
Over there, the housekeepers had been waiting impatiently for a long time. They had heard from the yamen runners that there was green grain for sale, so they waited here.
As soon as they saw Xiang Dejin, dressed in official robes, leave, they immediately surrounded him, saying, "These grains of yours are five coins each, and our Weifu will cover them all."
“How can your Wei family possibly eat so much? Six coins, I want a basket. My young lady loves this fresh food.”
"Don't rush... this corn costs thirty coins!"
Hearing that the first offer was five or six coins, Xu Errui would probably have agreed if Xiang Dejin hadn't reminded him.
When he shakily shouted, "Thirty coins a stick!" everyone was shocked.
The housekeepers immediately started yelling, "Are you trying to kidnap us alive? It's just a few ears of tender corn, not gold or silver, why are you charging such a high price?"
"Yes, I only bought it because I felt sorry for you. Besides, corn is everywhere, it's not a rare thing."
Several old women were chatting and haggling over the price.
Xiaoman followed the words Xiang Dejin had just taught her: "What season is it? Does anyone have green grain to sell?"
If you don't buy it, someone else will. Besides, I'm only selling it this once.
If it weren't for the family needing to buy grain, who would be willing to waste such good food?
We stayed up all night and traveled this far, almost ending up in jail. It's not worth five cents for you.
The magistrate has already said that no one is allowed to sell green grain anymore, so you won't be able to get any even if you want to.
And...you can't possibly not even afford something that costs thirty coins, can you?
Xiaoman's words flowed like a machine gun, each sentence piercing the heart.
"Bullshit! Who can't afford it! Your price is outrageous. I'll give you eight coins at most!" an old woman retorted.
Xiaoman and Errui shook their heads in unison: "No, no, forget it, you can't afford it, I'll just deliver it to another store."
"Second Brother Rui, that auntie mentioned last time that if you have dried bamboo shoots or wood ear mushrooms, you should send them to her house."
Xu Errui immediately called out to Tian Gui, "Uncle Tian, come and lend a hand, we'll deliver it over quickly."
Before Tian Gui and the others could arrive, one of the old women said, "Forget it, it's only thirty coins. My Gu family doesn't care about a few coins. We'll buy ten sticks!"
After speaking, he covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief and looked at Xiaoman and the others with a look of disgust.
These mud-covered people really stink!
Because they had traveled all night, and had been caught in the rain and sweating, their clothes had gotten wet and then dried, leaving them covered in mud and sweat and smelling of fish.
But with such a boastful tone, she only bought ten sticks!
Xu Errui didn't care what she said. As long as they could sell the corn, that was a good thing. He and his men had been running around all night and were exhausted. They couldn't bring the corn back with them.
The old woman from the Gu family picked out ten, and Tian Gui used the straw rope that came with the car to tie the selected corn cobs together.
The old women on the other side, feeling embarrassed, also came forward to make their own selections.
Immediately, seven or eight people surrounded the two wheelbarrows, rummaging through them and buying them in batches of five or ten.
Those masters in the house don't care how much money they spend; as long as they are served comfortably, they'll pay more themselves.
From the city gates onwards, word spread that green grains were being brought into the city to be sold.
At this time, those who were still gathered outside the county government office also received the news, and those who wanted to eat fresh food came to the back alley.
Seeing the high price, they grumble and complain, but still buy anywhere from two to ten or twenty.
Once the crowd dispersed, except for a bamboo basket containing corn that was left alone, all the corn on the two wheelbarrows was sold out.
Tian Gui wiped the sweat from his brow and asked Xiaoman and Errui, "What do we do next?"
They were brought to the county government office at dawn, and now the sun is high in the sky. They are exhausted and hungry and can't take it anymore.
Xu Errui, the host, began to make arrangements for everyone. He took out a small string of copper coins from his satchel and handed them to Tian Gui.
"Uncle Tian, go to the inn, find a room, have some food, and get some rest. We'll buy some grain this afternoon and head back tonight."
A single room in a shared dormitory costs only five coins per person, and with meals included, two hundred coins should be enough.
Xu Errui had already gone to the city twice with his mother, and he had learned the importance of eating well and resting well when going out. The return journey was another sixty li, so he couldn't be too tired.
"Stay at an inn? No need, no need. Let's find a big teahouse, brew some tea, sit for a while, and have a couple of simple flatbreads." Tian Gui and the others were both delighted and surprised, and they all refused.
It was certainly a good thing to be able to follow a generous host family, but this was their first time in the city and they had never stayed in an inn before.
Normally, when going to the market in town, they can't afford to eat. When they get hungry, they'll just brew a pot of tea for two coins at a roadside teahouse and eat a multigrain pancake to fill their stomachs.
You can sit and take a nap anywhere without wasting money.
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